Sunday was COLD and very wet.

After waiting over 10 minutes at a bus stop close to home, the 302
driver (Metroline) tells me there is no ramp on the bus. As we are
freezing and I can do a few steps, I climb onto the bus.

On our return, we opt to take the 32 (Metroline again) north from
Kilburn as there was no Jubilee Line beyond Wembley Park.

I sat in the chair waiting for the bus. When it came, the driver did not
offer use of the ramp and my partner struggled to push me through the
front doors. At Cricklewood Bus Garage, we were instructed to alight and
join another bus, which was driven by the same driver. Again, there was
neither offer of a ramp or any mention of one. The same was true when we
alighted at Burnt Oak.

Do we have to demand a ramp?
My partner looks young and fit.

I've not had this problem when my I'm out with my septuagenarian mother.

I suspect the drivers are reluctant to deploy the ramps...

On Nov 20, 9:52 pm, Helen Deborah Vecht zetnet.co.uk>
wrote:

I can only speak about a bus route near to me, the 152.
About 5 years ago this was called a wheelchair-friendly route; in fact
there were two buses out of about 10 that had 'the ramp'.
In general people were unlucky in catching those elusive wheelchair-
friendly buses, but they were there!
It was a bit snidey at the time, but I think nearly all the 152 buses
are WF now.

In article <31303030373639354743571F25@zetnet.co.uk>,
helenvecht@zetnet.co.uk (Helen Deborah Vecht) wrote:

Offramp gmail.com>typed

According to TfL's website, ALL buses are now supposed to be wheelchair
accessible, apart from the 'heritage' Routemasters...

...unless I misread the website.

rosenstiel@cix.co.uk (Colin Rosenstiel)typed

I will. I was waiting till I could get boarding times from Oyster's
Journey History.

Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:

Taking a small tangent - I was told recently, that upon successfully
boarding a bus, a wheelchair user was confronted with a mother and pram
in the designated space. The mother indicated that she felt her needs
were greater before eventually but reluctantly giving way.

While it is true that 'mothers and prams' were not provided for in the
past, we seem to have come to the opposite extreme where the space
offered to them now (with the disabled priority proviso) is seen as an
inalienable right to be constantly exploited to the full. What passes
for a 'pram' or 'buggy' these days is nothing short of a mini,
all-terrain vehicle with a wide wheelbase and armour plating, capable of
carrying at least two children, their toys du jour, the week's shopping
and a couple of spare car batteries. More often than not, they are fully
loaded, batteries et al. ready for all eventualities like a change of
nappy or a thermonuclear war.

Some pram-pushers are aggressively territorial :-(
We've had trouble getting through the bus, wheelchair folded, when the
aisle is blocked by a buggy-pusher. Quite often, it's difficult to
assert our needs without 'offending ethnicity'.

Few will/can fold their all-terrain buggies (though I can understand
those who don't wish to wake a sleeping babe) especially when encumbered
with loads of shopping.

My wheelchair folds flat quickly and I can transfer to an ordinary seat.
However, I weigh *much* more than a small child, so lifting into a bus
is very different to boarding with a buggy.

Ernst S Blofeld wrote:

Oh yeah? We have two year old twins - there is no way you can get them
out a
double buggy and fold it up. Also, the side by side double buggy we have
won't fit at the front of the bus, and some drivers won't let you board at
the rear doors.

E.

In message <31303030373639354743F52769@zetnet.co.uk> of Wed, 21 Nov 2007
09:06:47 in uk.transport.london, Helen Deborah Vecht
zetnet.co.uk> writes

I am outraged by your treatment and trust you will complain.
Unfortunately, you will probably get no more than a facile apology.

In message <47440307.ABD8B5F6@nospam.com> of Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:06:00
in uk.transport.london, eastender nospam.com> writes

I suggest your technology may be inappropriate.